Professor GOSTA KARPE GOSTA KARPE was born in Vadstena, Sweden, 1908. His medical education started in 1927 at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm During his study he worked parttime in the department of physiology. KARPE served as a resident in the ophthalmological department of Serafiner lasarettet from 1937 till 1941. That year, the university eye clinic was transferred to the newly built Karolinska Sjukhuset, where KARPE became assistant-head of the out-patient department, and lecturer in ophthalmology. In 1949 he was appoin­ ted professor in ophthalmology at the Karolinska Institute and head of the department of ophthalmology at Karolinska Sjukhuset. KARPE received his doctor degree in 1945 upon completion of his thesis: 'The basis of clinical electroretinography'. This original work opened up a completely new field of clinical investigation. Soon Swedish and foreign pupils flocked into his department to study his new method, a technique at present accepted as an indispensable tool in ophthalmic practice. Since 1945 his work as well as that of his pupils have been devoted mainly to this field of research.